A cobpobation



Jan. 31, 1928.

W. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed June 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet lgnwflloz William H. Robertson w u Jain. 31, 1928. 1,657,696

W. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed June 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.FIG.2

gwuenioc William H. Roberhon Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,696

W. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed June 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5William H Robertson B Y M 0M Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON, 0F DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOTHE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO,-A CORPORATION OFEABYLAND.

Application filed June 13, 1924. Serial No. 719,783.

This invention relates to cash registers, and more particularly to cashregisters of the type. described in Letters Patent of the United Statesto Kettering and Chryst, No. 1,137,061, issued April 27, 1915, to whichreference may be had for a complete description of such parts of themachine as do not relate directly to the present invention.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for moving therecord strip during the operation of the machine so that the lastprinted items are in a readable position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the amounton the totalizer is printed on the record strip and maintained on thetotalizer after the operation.

With these and incidental objects'in view, the. invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction and combinations of parts," theessential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and apreferred form of embodiment of which. is hereinafter described withreference to the drawings which accompany and form part ofthis'specificatiom.

Of said figures:

Fig. 1 is a right side elevation of the mechanism supported on theoutside of the right hand side frame.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionof the machine taken inside of the righthand side frame.

Fig. 3 is a right hand side elevation of the printing mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detail justment.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the totalizer read controlling mechan smshown in operated view of the paper adposition.

' Fig. 6 is a detail view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 inhome position.

.Fig. 7 is a detail view of the type printing segment operatingconnections.

General description.

. The machine illustrated inthe above men-, tioned application is of thedrawer-operated type, that is, the energy for driving themechanismduring the o ening movement of the drawer is stored up y theclosing movement of the cash drawer. The drawer is normallyspring-pressed outward, but is re- CASH REGISTER.

strained from such movement by a latch which is freed by the depressionof a release bar. The drawer then opens under the action of the spring,and is returned by hand to its closed position. Upon the return movementof the drawer, the amount, clerks initial, transaction character, etc.,set up on the keyboard are recorded on a record strip. The total amountaccumulated on the totalizer may be printed on the record strip and thetotalizer reset to zero, or not, as desired. The printing-of a sub-totaland a reset total is controlled by manually operated devices which areoperated prior to an operation of the machine. I

Referring to the drawings, only so much of the mechanism is shown as isnecessary to clearly illustrate the im rovement, the complete mechanismbeing s own in the Kettering and Ghryst patent previously referred to. 1I

The machine is o erated in the .usual manner by depressing t e properkeys representing the transaction, after which a release bar 30'(Fig. 1) is operated to release the cash drawer 31 and cause theoperation of the machine. The release bar 30 is secured to a forkedplate 32, suspended by-links 33 and 34 supported on the frame member 35.This'barv is retained in normal position by a spring 36. A pin 37mounted in a bell crank lever 38 pivoted at 39 is held in engagementwith the plate '32 b a spring 40 stretched between the pinan a pin inthe plate 32, This causes the bell crank lever 38 to move when therelease bar is operated. The lower end of the bell crank. lever 38 isformed with two notches 41 and 42, which are engaged bya roller 43"on'arod 44 carried by'arms 45 and 46 pinned on a rod 47 (Figs. 1 and 2). Alink 51 connectsthe arm 46 to-a drawer latch 52 pivoted at 53'to theframe of the machine. The lower end of the latch 52 is bifurcated toreceive a roller 54 carried in a bracket mounted onthe rear end of thecash drawer. The roller 43 engages the notch'41, as shown in Fig. 1, tohold the latch in the position shown in Fig.2, thereby preventing theopening movement of the drawer to open. The latch is held in its movedposition by a spring stretched between the link 51 and a member rigidwith the left side frame.

When the latch 52 is freed to move clockwise, a pair of drawer-operatingarms 55,

mounted on studs 56 on opposite sides of the machine, one arm beingshown in Fig. 1, are swung clockwise to move the cash drawer forward.These arms are actuated by a spring (not shown), the lower end of whichis attached to the frame of the machine, and the upper end to a pivotedarm which is connected by a link, both of which are not shown, to a bellcrank lever 57 (Fig. 3) which is P nned to a rod 58. As only the righthand arm 55 (Fig. 1) and its associate parts are shown, the descriptionwill refer to such parts. Pinned to the rod 58 (Fig. 2) is an arm 59which is connected by a'link 60 and stud 61 to the draweroperating arm55 (Fig. 1). The lower end of the drawer-operating arm carries a. roller71 which engages a block 72 secured to the cash drawer 31. Also fast onthe lower end of the drawer-operating arm is a springactuatedfull-stroke pawl 73 which cooperates'with notches in a rack plate 74 tocompel the drawer operating arms to be moved forward the proper distancebefore the cash drawer can be returned to. its normal posi-. tion. v

The drawer-operating arms 55 constitute means for driving the machine,as well as means for storing up energy in the driving spring, as theyare moved counter-clockwise by the closing movement of the cash drawer,as is fully explained in the patent previously referredto.

Totalz'zer.-When registering items, the totalizer 75 (Fig. 2), which isnormally engaged with its actuating segment 76, is disengaged from thissegment at-the beginning of the operation of the machine. As the draweroperating arm 55 (Fig. 1) swings forward, a plate 77 pivoted on theright hand arm 55 engages a roller 78 carried on a bell crank lever 79and causes said lever to move counter-clockwise on its pivot 80. A link81 connects the bell crank lever 79 with another bell crank lever 82 tocause these two levers to move in unison. Also pivoted to the lever 82is a link 83, the upper end I of which is-bifurcated and carries twopins 84 and 85 to engage the restricted ortions of openings 86 and 87formed in p ates 88 and 89, respectively, which are secured to'a rod 90,to which totalizer supporting arms 91 (Fig. 2) are, also secured.

As the arm 55 moves forward, rocking the bell. crank lever 79counter-clockwise, the totalizer 75 will be disengaged from itsactuating segment 76. As the arm 55 approaches its forward position, theplate 77 will engage the roller 92 carried on the front bell'crank lever82 and cause this lever to move clockwise to rock the 'rod 90 and" againengage the totalizer with its actuator so that the items represented bythe depressed item keys 93 (Fig. 2) will be entered in the totalizerduring the return of the cash drawer to normal position. A springtensioned arm 94 (Fig. 1), pivoted on the rack plate 74, cooperates witha pin 95 mountcd'in the pawl 7-3 to prevent the bell crank lever 79 frombeing moved counter-clockwise by the plate 77 as the arm 55 returns toits normal position. The pin 95 engages the lower edge of the arm 94.-which is provided with an upwardly extending projection 96 engaging thelower end of the bell crank lever 79 to hold the lever rigid as theplate 7 7 engages the roller 78, thereby causing the plate to swing onits pivot against the tension of a sprin until it is free to pass by theroller 78. y this mechanism the totalizer is held engaged with theactuators as the parts return to home position.

The totalizer actuating segment 76 (Fig. 2) is pivoted on a studsupported in the key frame in axial alinemcnt with stud 98, and isloosely connected to a segment: 99 pivoted on the same center as theactuator. The segment is moved counter-clockwise b a spring until itsmovement is intercepted by a depressed key, and if no key is depressed,it will be moved one space when its movement will be intercepted by azero stop lever (not shown), all of which is fully described in thepatent above referred to.

The segments 99 (Fig. 2), which have been moved counter-clockwlse, arereturned to their home position by a rod 105 which extends laterallythrough the machine to engage all of the segments, and is supported ateach end by an arm 106 pivoted at 98. Each of the arms carries a roller107 engaging a cam slot 108 formed in a plate 109 secured to the rod 58.As the rod 58 is rocked clockwise the arms 106 will be caused to movecounter-clockwise and, as the cash drawer is closed to rock the rod 58counter-clockwise, the arms 106 will return to their home position, asshown in Fig. 2. The depressed keys are released to return to normalposition near the end of the operation of the machine. The keys are heldin depressed position by the usual latching detent, not shown, which issupported at its upper end by a pivoted member 110, a portion of whichis shown in Fig. 2 to show the operating relation to the mechanism whichmoves the latching detent to release the depressed keys. Engaging theswinging member 110 is a yoke member 111 which extends laterally acrossall the key banks and is freely mounted upon a rod 112 sup orted in theframe of the machine. This yo re member has a downwardly extending arm113 on the right hand side which is connected by a link 114 (Fig. 1) toa lever 115 pivoted on a'stud supported in the side frame. The upper endof the lever carries a rollerz llfi which engages a spring pulledpivoted plate 117 mounted on a stud supported by the right hand arm 55.

The pivotal movement of the plate 117 is controlled by a pin 118engaging a slot in the plate. As the arm moves clockwise, the plate 117will move on its pivot in a like direction and, on the return of the arm55 toits home position, the plate 117 will engage the roller 116 andmove the lever 115 counterclockwise which rocks the yoke member 111(Fig. 2) to operate the latching detent and release the depressed key.

Printer.Each item registered upon the machine is printed upon a .recordstrip 123 (Fig. 3), which is fed from a supply roll 124 over a guideroller 125 under a movable guide roller 126 around guide rollers 127under a movable guide roller 128 over a guide roller 129 onto areceiving roll 130.

The items are printed upon the record strip by type segments 131 freelymounted upon a rod 132 and each having a rearwardly extending arm 133which is connected by a link 134 to an arm 135, 137 or 138 (Fig. 7 Thearms 135 are pinned to rods 136 to which are pinned arms 141 (Fig. 2).The arms 137 and 138 (Fig. 7) are freely mounted on two of the rods 136and are yoked across to arms 139 and 140 also freely mounted on saidrods 136. Each arm 141, 139 and 140 is connected by a link 142 to aswinging link 143 pivoted at 144 to its respective segment 99. Thenumber of actuating segments and type segments varice with theregistering capacity of the machine. Each one of the arms 143' carriesa. roller (not shown) which is in axial alinement with the stud 98 andcooperates with a cumming arm 145 secured to the rod 146. The rod 146 isrocked during the operation of the machine by an arm 147 also securedtothe rod and carrying aroller 148 engaging the cam slot.149 formed in aplate 150 secured to the oscillating shaft 58. The camming member 145 isthe means'for swinging the arm 143 on its pivot 144 to differentiallyposition the type segment corresponding to the differential position ofthe totalizer actuating segment, all of which is fully described in thepatent previously referred to.

Legible impressions are made upon the record strip 123 (Fig. 3) by aninkin ribbon 156 wound on rotating spools 157 and 158. This ribbon ismoved from one spool to the other by a ribbon feeding and reversingmechanism illustrated and described in the patent previously referredto. An impression platen 159 is mounted in a swinging arm 160 which ispivoted on a rod 161. This impression arm is normally held under 5 ringtension by a latch 162 freely mounte on the stud 163. The latch engagesa flat sided pin 164 projecting laterally from the impression arm. Thelatch is mainplate 168 supports a pitman 170 pivoted at 171 and guidedba pin 172 which engages a slot 173 forme in the upper part of thepitman. The upper end of the pitman 170 carries a pin 174 whichis-fla'ttened on the left hand side so as to engage the flat side of thepin 164 carried by the impression arm 160 as the pitman 170 is moveddownward by the clockwise movement of the plate 168. As the pin 174passes. to the right of the pin 164 it will engage the latch member 162and cause this latch to move clockwise on its pivot to the extent ofdisengaging from the pin 164. As the latch 162 dlsengages from the pin164, the impressi on arm 160 will receive a slight counterclockwisemovement so that the latch 162 can not return to its latched positionwhen the pin 174 moves upward to disengage from the pin 164 and allowthe impression arm to operate under the tension of the spring 165. Thereis provided enough clearance between the flat side of pin 164 and pin174 to permit the slight counter-clockwise movement of the impressionarm as stated above. Roleasing the impression arm by the upward movementof the pitman 170 enables the type segments to be placed in properalignment before the impression is made. The impression arm is movedcounter-clockwise by an arm 176 freely mounted on the stud 161 andconstantly under the tension of the spring 165 attached to the latchedmember 162 and to a pin mounted in the arm 176. As the impression arm isreleased it will move in unison with the arm 176 until the lower end ofthe arm 176 comes into contact with a pin 177, when the arm 176 willstop and the momentum of the impression arm 160 will cause it tocontinue its movement until coming into engagement with the typesegment, after which it is returned by a spring 178 until a projection179 engages a pin 180 mounted in the arm 176. As the pitman 170 movesupward the pin 174 will engage the lower'side of the projection 179 andreturn the impression arm '160 to its latched-position, as shown in Fig.3. A pin 181 projecting laterally from the frame of the machine controlsthe clockwise movement of the arm 176 and, consequently, the

the pawl 182 is mounted, has a movement greater thanthat necessary tomove the ratchet one tooth, provision is made whereby the pawl 182 isdisen aged from the ratchet during a part of t e movement of the arm168. The pawl 182 has an arm 184 extending toward the left which as thearm 168 moves clockwise will engage a pin 185 supported in the sideframe of the machine and cause the pawl 182 to move clockwise on itspivot to the extent of disengaging from the ratchet 183. The part of thearm 184 engaging the pin 185 is formed so as to give a camming action inthe operation of the pawl by the pin 185. A spring-actuated pawl 186prevents retrograde motion ofthe ratchet 183.

The last printed impression upon the record strip is brought forward toa writing table 187 so as to be in a position to permit writingmemoranda pertaining to the printing. In registering the next item 'thepaper is again shifted so that the next impression will be placed justabove the last impression. The record strip is shifted from the writingposition to the printing position by the movable guide rollers 126 and128 which are sup orted by an oscillating member 189 pivoted at 190. Theoscillating member is operated by a. link 191 connecting it to an arm192 of the three arm plate 168. An elongated opening 193, by which thelink 191 connects to the arm 192, provides a dwell in the movement ofthe member 189 at the time the impression is being made upon the recordstrip. In its home position, the member 189 engages an eccentrlc collar194 (Figs. 3 and 4) adjustably mounted upon the rod 125. This eccentriccollar provides adjustment to control movement of the record strip intoproper printing position;

Total printing-The accumulated amount on the totalizer may be read byfigures on the digit wheels and by printed figures on a record strip. Inprinting the accumulated amount on the record strip the totalizer may bereset to zero or the accumulated amount may be left on the totalizerafter the total printing operation.

Printing a total without resetting the totalizer to zero will be termeda subtotal, and printing the total and resetting the totalizer to zerowill be termed a grand total. To print a subtotal it is necessary forthe operator to" move a knob 200 from the upper end of a slot 201 (Fig.6) to the lower end of the slot (Fig. 5). The slot 201 1s in -a plate202 fastened by two screws to the right hand side of the casing 203.There is also a slot in the casing corresponding to the slot 201. Aplate 204 riveted to a flange 205 at all times closes the opening in thecasing through which the knob 200 moves. The flange 205, to which alsothe knob 200 is fastened, is a part of a link 206, the lower end ofwhich has an elongated opening 207 engaging a screw stud 208 mounted inthe right hand drawer operating arm 551 When the knob 200 is in itsnormal or home position, as shown in Fig. 6, the link 206 (F i l) isdisengaged from the plate 77, an when the knob is moved to the positionshown in Fig. 5, the lower end of the link 206 is in engagement with theplate 77 and has moved the plate clockwise on its pivot to the extentthat when the drawer arm 55 moves forward in a. clockwise direction theplate 77 is maintained-in an ineffective relation with the roller 78 onthe bell crank lever 79, and also the roller 92 on the bell crank lever82, so that the machine is o erated without operating the mechanismwhleh disengages and engages the totali zer with the actuator. The upperend of the link 206 (Fig. 1) has a notch 209 which will engage with aroller 210 as the knob 200 (Fig. 5) moves from the upper end of the slot201 to the lower end.- The roller 210 is mounted on a stud carried b anarm 211 (Fig. 1) which is pinned to t e rod 112. As the link 206- movesdownward, the roller 210 will cause a lever 212 to movecounter-clockwise on its pivot 213 against the tension of a spring 214,and as the roller reaches the lower end of a projection 215 on the lever212 it will engage a depression 216 and move to a second depression 217formed in the lower end of the projection 215, the roller 210 remaininin the second depression 217 until release by the operation of themachine to return to its home position.

In a machine of this type it is necessary to make an extra or idleoperation before printing a total, as fully described in the patentpreviously referred to. During this extra or idle operation of themachine an arm 218 (Fi 1) is moved counter-clockwise a sufiicientdistance to disenga e a roller 219 carried by this arm from a s oulder220 formed on the arm 211. With the roller 219 disengaged from theshoulder 220 (Figs. 5 and 6) from the upper end of the slot 201 to thelower end, as previously described. As the arm 2l1.moves clockwise, theroller 219 will travel along the curved edge 225 of the arm 211 whichfurnishes a means. formoving the arm 218 counterclockwise. As this armmoves counterclockwise a link 226, pivoted at the lower end of the armand engaging a stud 227 carried by a link 83, will move'the link on itspivot clockwise and disengage the pin 84 from the restricted opening 87,in. which position the totalizer-is maintained in en-- gagement with theactuators during the entire operation of the machine. An, elongatedopening 228 in the link 226 permits initialmovement of the am 218 at thetime of the idle operation without affecting the link 83, and alsopermits the arm 218 to reposition and the operated position as shown inFig. 5, by a spring tensioned lever 229 (Fig. 1) pivoted at 230 andconnected to the arm 211 by a link 231. The left hand end of the lever229 passes from a position below the plane of the pin 37 to a positionabove the plane of this pin as the arm 211 moves from its home positionto its operated position. The elongated opening 232 in the lower end ofthe link 231 permits the knob 200 (Fig. 5) to return to home positionprior to .the return of the release bar to normal position.

The return of the drawer operating arms 55 (Fig. 1) to their normalposition will engage a flexible arm 237 with a roller 238- carried onthe lever 212 and cause said lever to move counter-clockwise anddisengage the roller 210 from the notch 217, permitting the rod, 112 toreturn to its normal position.

With the totalizer 75 (Fig. 2) remaining incngagement with the actuatorsduring the entire operation of the machine, as described above inconnection with printing a subtotal, the totalizer wheels will rotateclockwise until the digit wheels arrive at their zero position, wherethey will be stopped by a pin 233 mounted in each wheel and engaging ashoulder 234. on an arm 235 freely mounted on a rod 236, the segments 99being moved counterclockwise to extents corresponding to the amountsrepresented on the totalizer wheels. With the segments 99 beingdifferentially positioned, the type segments 131 (Fi 3) will becorrespondingly positioned by t e same mechanism which controls theiroperation, when the machine is operated in registering items, butinstead of being controlled by depressed keys they are controlled by theamount of rotation the totalizer wheels take in rotating to their zeroposition.

After an impression is made from the type segments in theirdiflerentially moved positions the driving mechanism returns thesegments 99 (Fig. 2) to their home position, at the same time rotatingthe totalizer wheels to the positions they had prior to this subtotaloperation, the type segments remaining in the position they were placedby the subtotal operation until the machine is operated again, as is thecase whenoperating the machine in registering items, as described in thepatent previously referred to.

To print a grand total and reset the totalizer to zero requires an extraoperation of the machine as described in connection with the printing ofa subtotal. Previous to this operation a reset key 245 (Fig. 2) islocked engaging the shoulder 220 of arm 211 whic is pinned to the rod112 to which the reset key 245 is also pinned.

After'the extra operation of the machine the reset key is movedclockwise into its operated position which rocks the rod 112 and movesthe link 83 clockwise to disengage the .pin 84 from the restrictedopening86 and engages the pin 85 with the restricted opening 87, so thatasthe machine starts on its operation the totalizer will not disengagefrom the actuator as it does in an item entering operation.

As the drawer operating arms 55 approach their forward position, thetotalizer will be disengaged from the actuators, which operationwill'leave the totalizer elements in their zero position.

With the totalizer elements in their zero position the type segments aredifierentially' positioned corresponding to the accumulated amount onthe totalizer which amount will be printed on the record strip, all ofwhich is clearly described in the patent referred to.

While the form of mechanism herein against operations by the roller 219(Fig. 1)

shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objectsprimarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended toconfine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed,for it is susceptible "of embodiment in various forms all coming withinthe scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing mechanism having a type segment, an ink ribbon, animpression hammer, a latch adapted to retain said hammer in normalposition, a normally spring tensioned arm adapted to move said hammerwhen released, a pitman adapted to place said hammer in latchedposition, anoscillating member supporting said pitman, a

driving means adapted to operate said oscillating member, and meanssupported by said pitman for operating said latch to release saidhammer.

2. In a printing mechanism having a type segment, an ink ribbon, animpression hammer normally under spring tension, a latch adapted toretain said hammer in normal position, a spring tensloned. arm adaptedto move said hammer when released, means for stopping saidarmindependently of said a ated, an ink ribbon, an impression hammernormally under spring tension, a latch adapted to retain said hammer innormal position, a spring tensioned arm adapted to move said hammer whenreleased, a pitman plate operated by said driving means, means adaptedto place said hammer in latched position, an oscillating membersupporting said pitman, a driving means adapted to operate saidoscillating member, means suported by said pitman for releasing saidammer, a recordstrip, means for feeding said record strip, a statlonarywriting platen, stationa gui es for said record strip, movable gui esfor said record strip adapted to segment, an impression hammer normal yunder spring tension, a latch adapted to re tain said hammer in normalposition, a spring tensioned means adapted to move said hammer, andmeans adapted when moving in one direction to place said hammer inlatched position and when moving in the opposite direction to operatesaid latch but retain said hammer in normal position until 'said meansmoves in the first mentioned direction. r

5. In a printin mechanism having a type segment, a record strip, animpression hammer normally under spring tension, a latch adapted toretain said hammer in normal posltion, a spring tensioned arm adapted tomove said hammer when released, means for stopping said armindependently of said hammer, a dri means, an oscillating supported bsaid oscillating plate for releasing said ammer and then returning saidhammer to the latched position, means operated by said oscillating platefor moving said record strip from the reading osition to printingposition and back to rea in position, and means intermediate of saioscillating plate and said record strip moving means adapted todiscontinue movement of said record strip at the time said impressionhammer engages said t pe segment.

6. In a printing mechanism having a type segment adapted to bedifferentially operated, an inking means, a record strip, an impressionmeans, an oscillating member adapted to operate said impression means, adriving means adapted to operate said oscillating member, movable guidesfor said record strip adapted to move said record stri from readingposition into printing position and back to reading osition, and meansintermediate of said osclllating member and said movable guides foroperating said ides and for permitting a movement of said oscillatingmember independently of said movable guides when said record strip is inprinting position.

7. In a printing mechanism having a type segment, arecord strip, twopairs of stationary guides for said record strip, and a movable guideintermediate of the guides of each pair of stationary guides adapted tomove a portion-of said record strip from a reading position to aprinting position and back to a reading position;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. ROBERTSON.

